This invention relates in general to apparatus and systems for the display and selection of merchandise and more specifically to a tubing and tubing fitting selection apparatus for selecting compatible pairs of tubing and tubing fittings from a plurality of individually prepackaged tubing and fitting products.
Apparatus and devices for the display and selection of merchandise have been developed heretofore as disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,884 entitled "APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR THE DISPLAY AND SELECTION OF MERCHANDISE". Since the advent of the product of that patent, it has become common to select merchandise, particularly plumbing type fittings from displays having a plurality of prepackaged fitting products hung on display hooks with fittings of like characteristics being suspended together from the same hook or bracket. Such packages, and associated displays, are provided with merchandise identifying indicia in the form of code letters, colors or numbers which facilitate the customers locating the desired fitting after going through a fitting selection indicia locating procedure. In accordance with the apparatus of said patent, such merchandise selection indicia is determined by the customer as a permutation of two separate fitting requirement indicia which may, in the exemplary embodiment of that patent, be associated with matrices having the individual merchandise selection indicia, or merchandise code letters, set forth in the body of such matrices. A matrix for a particular fitting, such as a tubing to tubing union fitting, comprises a vertical axis of tubing outside diameter sizes for the tubing to be connected to one end of the union with the horizontal axis having representations of the different available tubing sizes for the other end of the union. By knowing the dimensions of the tubing for the two ends of the union, and having selected the matrix corresponding to such union, the merchandise selection number is determined from the matrix as a permutation of such two requirement sizes for the union. It is suggested that those unfamiliar with the display of said patent, or the disclosure thereof, make reference to said patent disclosure for a more complete understanding thereof.
It has come to my attention that it would be desirable to facilitate the selection of the particular merchandise selection indicia or code for a given fitting where a customer has selected a particular size of tubing without the need for the customer examining the precise requirement indicia provided on the display of the prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,884. It has also come to my attention that it would be desirable to provide a more convenient way for the consumer to select and obtain lengths of copper tubing and compatible fittings, particularly where the consumer is unfamiliar with tubing and fitting terminology and sizing requirements and is seeking to accomplish a so called "do it yourself" project.